Thursday, December 30, 2010

We are reprinting with permission a letter from Pat D. regarding her dog Larry. We are touched by Pat's devotion and love of the short time she and Larry had together.

In February, 2009 I went to Humane Sanctuary in Kinsman, Ohio to see a dog I saw on Petfinders. I was pretty horrified at what I saw, as was my friend Donna, who afterwards turned the place in for animal abuse and gross hoarding.

On that bitter, bitter cold day, heartbroken at what we witnessed, I took home a dog named Larry, a mutt, probably a German Shepherd, Lab and Rotty mix, about 8 years old. Although I was told he was much younger, it was clear that he was an old fella living out his life in hell.

Larry had heartworm, tapeworm, pinworms, hookworm and ear infections. He smelled terrible. Oddly enough, he also had a great sense of humor and his gratitude was palpable.

I won’t tell you how much it cost to fix Larry up medically or how confused he was (after living outside in all weather chained to a box for four years) to find himself in a warm, cozy home with good food and a mom who loved him very much. Suffice it to say I had Larry for 22 months of joy, warmth and deep affection before he died of liver cancer last week, way, way too soon for me. I’ve cried every day and wish I had even one more hour with him.

What a guy. I gave him as much freedom and love as I could pile on, and he returned it all a hundredfold. I will miss that dear sir until the day I die. He had a hard, hard life, but he was a gentle soul, strong, loyal and dear. From now on, and despite the cost and the pain of their loss, I will adopt older dogs from sorry backgrounds because Larry taught me so much about what matters in life and gave back so much more than he received...

...I hope people don’t avoid poor animals who live in hoarders’ dens. You have absolutely no idea what wonderful, grateful, beautiful friends they can be.

COLUMBUS, Ohio --Another case of animal hoarding coming to light near Ashland, Ohio. According to the Mansfield Journal, Ashland Veterinarian Fred Gingrich called a house on Township Road, "the worst scene I have ever seen. "You couldn't see the floor. excrement was at least six inches deep," he said. "trash was everywhere. There was a dead kitten on top of the microwave."

Over the past few years-- hoarding has gained national attention. Here in Central Ohio, there have been numerous busts.

"There are a couple of things to note about hoarding, one, this is a mental illness," said Rachel D.K. Finney, Interm Executive Director for Capital Area Humane Society.

Hoarders may start out with just a few animals and the best of intentions, but quickly become overwhelmed.

"In theses situations, it not just the animals that need help, the individual needs help too," said Finney.

There are not any laws specific to hoarding according to Finney but, "there are cruelty laws which mean animals must have access to food, water, shelter and to vet care. "Taking the animals from the home will not resolve the situation, because if the need for mental illness is not addressed, those individuals will begin to hoard again, often within a few days," said Finney..." More & video

NORRISTOWN – Ending a 16-month legal battle regarding the custody of more than a dozen cats, a judge ordered a Pottstown woman to forfeit the animals she once was accused of trying to poison.

Linda Muchnick, 57, must forfeit the surviving 16 cats and one dog to the Montgomery County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, county Judge Steven T. O’Neill ruled Wednesday. The order essentially allows the SPCA, which has held the animals while the legal battle loomed, to put the animals up for adoption.

The judge made the ruling after hearing Muchnick’s impassioned plea for the return of the animals and a prosecutor’s argument against that return.

Muchnick vowed to appeal O’Neill’s ruling to the state Superior Court. Under the law, she has 30 days to do so.

“In my heart and my soul I feel I have lived an exemplary life for the animal kingdom. I’ve done the hard road to show my character for 16 months. I love my babies. I’m going to appeal this and do my best because that’s what I believe is the right thing to do,” Muchnick said during an interview after the civil hearing. “I love them, absolutely.”

Muchnick argued her “pet family” belongs to her. Muchnick claimed there is nobody else who has a greater love for the animals and that she would never harm the animals again..." More

n covering the story of 150 animals seized from a home in Riga I learned that hoarding of animals is a growing problem in our community. It usually begins with the best intentions - an effort to save, house and feed the animals. Then it spirals out of control.

The animals breed and their numbers grow.The caregiver involved often keeps dozens of animals inside their home to hide the situation, leading to unsanitary and unhealthy conditions for everyone involved.

Lollypop farm gets 4 or 5 of these cases a year but because the behaviors are secretive there are likely many more cases that have gone undetected.

It is such a problem that the Mental Health Association has begun a support group for family members of people with hoarding behaviors of all types.It is part of a new multi-agency task force.

Hoarding is far more common in our community than you may think.Based on a recent survey between 2 and 4 percent of people in the MonroeCounty suffer from a hoarding disorder.That works out to about 15,000 to 22,000 individuals.The average age is over 60..." More

MANASSAS, Va. - The conditions were so bad, officials have deemed the house unfit for humans and animals. A Manassas woman is accused of keeping 21 dogs in unlivable conditions inside her townhouse on Natural Bridge Court in Manassas, Va.

Manassas City Police investigated this as a case of animal cruelty, but neighbors seem to think the dog owner was simply a lonely and misguided animal lover.

She was busy taking her belongings out of the house as it has been deemed unfit for human habitation. Stickers and signs outside the house make it clear she is a dog lover and at least one neighbor said she claimed to be running a rescue organization.

“We knew she was a dog rescuer and she took sick dogs that were in danger of dying,” said the neighbor.

But according to authorities, conditions inside the home were also putting the dogs in danger. Animal feces, acrid ammonia and trash debris covered the inside, according to law enforcement. The dogs were of small breeds such as poodles, Papillion, and Maltese..." More & video

Imagine a house somewhere on the Island; on the outside it looks just like other homes in the neighborhood, but inside is a different story. A sea of food containers covers the kitchen floor. Empty cereal boxes neatly line the oven. In the garage the only indication of a car is a rusted decal peering out from beneath a mountain of boxes. In the living room a waist-high pile of newspapers dating back three decades looms above a panorama of detritus and endless more unmarked cardboard boxes.

An elderly person lives here. Imagine then that there are other houses like it on the Island.

Last month Island officials invited Dr. Christiana Bratiotis of Boston University to speak at the Oak Bluffs library on the hidden but very real problem of compulsive hoarding. Ms. Bratiotis is the author of The Hoarding Handbook, set for release by Oxford University Press in 2011, and the four-hour training and information session was an eye-opener for many in the audience.

“To me it has probably always existed but we just didn’t know what to name it,” said Ann Wallace, executive director of Island Elderly Housing. “It’s just recently that we’ve realized how devastating it is to people’s lives, and to families’ lives.”.." More

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Hundreds of felines prowled inside and around the Lehigh Acres home where the body of Gary Schultz, 59, lay for a month before discovery.

No foul play was suspected, but Schultz’s wife and mother fled the state, abandoning him amid the scores of cats and heaps of rotting trash, according to Lee County Domestic Animal Services, who responded earlier this month.

The cats were starving, and chief animal control officer Adam Leath realized the family had suffered from a problem he’s become all too familiar with in recent years — hoarding.

Animals aren’t always involved, but their presence is often a catalyst for outside intervention.

“I think in the past people saw it as these people just loved animals too much,” Leath said. “But I think there’s a greater understanding now that this isn’t love. This is a mental illness.”

And that’s why he has organized the Lee County Hoarding Task Force, a gathering of experts from a range of fields, including human services, law enforcement, mental health, aging, code enforcement and animal services..." More

When does an individual go from being a "pack rat" to a compulsive hoarder? And why, for some people, is getting rid of "stuff" so difficult that it overwhelms them? Midmorning examines how and why people become compulsive hoarders..." Listen

Guests

Randy Frost: Professor of psychology and co-author of "Stuff: Compulsive Hoarding and the Meaning of Things."

Renae Reinardy: Licensed clinical psychologist and director of Lakeside Center for Behavioral Change. She has appeared on A&E TV's "hoarders."

Resources

Empty pizza boxes. Candy wrappers. Junk mail. These items and the like often become just a portion of the piles of trash that clutter - and often inhibit - the lives of those with a psychological disorder that may be more widespread than you think.

Hoarding has spawned at least two television shows, one of which is the popular A&E documentary series "Hoarders." A psychiatrist at the Orangeburg Area Mental Health Center says such shows are hopefully pointing those suffering from the disorder in a helpful direction.

"I'm hoping with all of those reality-based shows that some of them point to a message," child and adolescent psychiatrist Dr. Valarie Mosley said. "The episode of ‘Hoarders' that I did see was about them coming in and trying to help..." More

Riga, N.Y. - Animal cruelty investigators say they are seeing an increasing number of cases of people who collect pets as objects.It's known as "animal hoarding" and experts say it is tied to mental illness.

Over the weekend, investigators seized 150 dogs, cats, chickens and horses from a home in Riga. The animals were emaciated and living in filth.

Mental health experts say in many cases, the person collecting pets lives in the same squalid conditions.

They also said simply removing the pets is not enough to change the behavior..." More

FORT MYERS: In just two years, animal control officers have investigated a dozen serious animal hoarding cases. Dozens more are reported by neighbors, but never investigated.

Without a catalyst - like children or animals living in the deplorable conditions - local agencies have little authority to intervene.

"There seems to be more enforcement over the care of the animals than over the care of the inhabitants in the homes, which was a surprise to me," said Ann Arnall of Lee County Human Services.

A newly-established task force is working to change that. It's made up of law enforcement, psychiatrists and code enforcement hopes to combat Lee County's hoarding problem.

"There was really no formal partnership. A couple agencies may get involved in these situations, but several agencies expressed frustrations because they hit these barriers," Arnall said..." More & video

A curious breed of pet owner starts out with one or two animals and ends up with dozens — even hundreds. This creates a nuisance for neighbors, a health hazard for animals and owners, and havoc for agencies that must swoop in for a rescue.

Last year, authorities in Tulare County charged a woman who owned 32 dogs and cats and whose home had 6 inches of cat feces under the kitchen table and cat carcasses in a freezer.

In August, authorities filed animal-cruelty charges against a woman near Strathmore who said she was running an "animal shelter" inside her home -- which contained 140 dogs, cats, rabbits, chickens, ducks, a cockatoo, parakeets and a chinchilla..." More

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Dr. Randy Frost, a psychology professor and the world’s leading expert on compulsive hoarding, told The Province the most extreme cases usually involve animals. That doesn’t surprise Marcie Moriarty, head of cruelty investigations for the BC SPCA.

Moriarty says over the past few years she is dealing with an increasing load of hoarding cases, with at least one investigation per month. On a typical case, SPCA staff enter suspect homes wearing face masks and rubber suits. They’re assaulted with the acrid stench of urine, feces, and rotting garbage. Often they seize between 50 and 100 animals, mostly cats. And it’s not uncommon for investigators to find decaying pet carcasses hidden in piles of debris and filth..." More

The woman agreed to let Vancouver social worker Keely Hale enter her Downtown Eastside room, on one condition. She begged Hale not to bring black garbage bags with her. On the verge of eviction because of debris that was piling up to the ceiling, she was terrified of being forced to throw it out. She said it would be like leaving behind pieces of herself.

“I had to visit her two times before we could talk about cleaning,” Hale, a tenant support worker, says. “Sometimes you go into places and the cockroaches are falling off the ceiling and covering the floors. It’s disgusting but you get used to it, because there’s a person in there that needs help.”

Welcome to the world of hoarding. It begins with clutter, which we all deal with. But excessive acquisition and failure to sort and get rid of stuff — newspapers, old birthday cards, ugly sweaters, even rotting food and dead cats — can grow into an ugly compulsion, rooted in mental illness..." More

Friday, December 10, 2010

Dec 10, 2010: Woman sentenced in animal hoarding case

A Gregory woman was sentenced Thursday to two years probation in an animal hoarding case.

Police said Laura Springborn, 38, hoarded more than two dozen small dogs in unsanitary conditions in her home.

Livingston County Animal Control found the neglected and malnourished dogs April 8 after Ingham County asked for a welfare check at Springborn's home because of an investigation at her Stockbridge pet store..." More

Apr 27, 2010: Pet store owner to face animal cruelty charge

A Gregory woman is scheduled to be arraigned on May 5 in 53rd District Court for allegedly hoarding and breeding more than two dozen small-breed dogs, including Chihuahuas and miniature Doberman pinschers, according to court records.

Laura Springborn will be charged with one count of animal cruelty to 10 or more animals, a four-year felony.

Two weeks ago, Livingston County Animal Control was called out to make a welfare check at Springborn's residence at the request of Ingham County officials, who were investigating her Stockbridge pet store.

Livingston County officials seized the dogs after finding the animals neglected and malnourished.

Springborn allegedly was breeding and selling the animals at her pet store, officials said.." More

Another case of animal hoarding coming to light near Ashland, Ohio. According to the Mansfield Journal, Ashland Veterinarian Fred Gingrich called a house on Township Road, "the worst scene I have ever seen. "You couldn't see the floor. excrement was at least six inches deep," he said. "trash was everywhere. There was a dead kitten on top of the microwave."

Over the past few years-- hoarding has gained national attention. Here in Central Ohio, there have been numerous busts.

"There are a couple of things to note about hoarding, one, this is a mental illness," said Rachel D.K. Finney, Interm Executive Director for Capital Area Humane Society.

Hoarders may start out with just a few animals and the best of intentions, but quickly become overwhelmed.

"In theses situations, it not just the animals that need help, the individual needs help too," said Finney.

There are not any laws specific to hoarding according to Finney but, "there are cruelty laws which mean animals must have access to food, water, shelter and to vet care. "Taking the animals from the home will not resolve the situation, because if the need for mental illness is not addressed, those individuals will begin to hoard again, often within a few days," said Finney..." More & video

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

An Ohio family surrenders dozens of animals after getting help from Animal Planet's "Confessions: Animal Hoarding." Now the Ohio SPCA must find new homes for them.

Eleven goats, nine females and two males, are just some of the many pets confiscated Monday by the Ohio SPCA Board member Jennifer Graham told NBC 4 that producers fromAnimal Planet approached them a week ago for help. The family is set to appear in the show "Confessions: Animal Hoarding" sometime in the spring.

"There are a very good family trying to do the right thing for the animals. You just get a little overwhelmed when you have so many that you just can't keep up on a day-to-day basis," said Graham.

The hoarded animals were discovered on a property in Butler County. The SPCA couldn't give NBC 4 the family's name and address because of an agreement with Animal Planet. We did discover that it took fifteen SPCA volunteers all day to remove 11 goats, five cats, a pony, and four dogs. The family refused to hand over 16 goats, two horses, five dogs, two ducks and four cats. The rescued animals are living with volunteers in various counties including Union, Guersney, Fayette and Franklin..." More & video

Monday, December 6, 2010

It happened again the last week of November at a house in the 300 block of East Swallow Drive in Fort Collins. The front yard was a tangled mess of household items, now just trash.

There was nobody home; the owner was believed to have left following a home foreclosure.

But there was life inside: More than 50 cats and kittens, in various states of health, had been left behind. As authorities moved in, the Larimer Humane Society began it’s work.

“The cats and kittens were rescued from deplorable living conditions,” said a press release from the shelter. “All rescued felines have been taken to Larimer Humane Society where they are currently undergoing extensive behavioral and health evaluations to determine if they are suitable candidates for adoption.”

The animals, rightfully, got the immediate attention. But that won’t stop future hoarding situations. Is there a way to break the cycle itself?

Coffey and an ASPCA representative assessed hoarding in terms of human and animal welfare, Burns said. They interceded in cases of “overwhelmed caregivers” rather than cases of “exploitive hoarders,” Coffey said.Participation was voluntary.

The team then methodically began working with the hoarder to:

*Stop animal reproduction, A veterinarian in a mobile clinic did free spay/neuter surgeries.

*Get the hoarder to voluntarily relinquish animals over time. The most adoptable went to rescue groups.

*Connect hoarders with cleaning and counseling services.

*Monitor and make sure hoarders did not acquire more animals.

Nathanson said hoarders lack adequate human relations and having more animals will make them feel better.

She thinks society has become more aware of the issue of animal hoarding and is beginning to realize that the hoarders need assistance as much as the animals...: More

But for some people, hoarding develops into a complex behavioral health problem that is more than just sloppy housekeeping or a messy garage, experts say.

As hoarding gets worse, navigating through the house can become virtually impossible because rooms and hallways are clogged.

"You see all ends of the spectrum when we get involved," said Nancy Niehus, director of environmental health services for the Lake County General Health District. "It's usually pretty bad, rooms are stacked from room to ceiling. They cover the windows because they are reclusive, doors are blocked and there is only one way to get in.

"We see things stacked up in the bathroom and shower and no longer accessible," Niehus added. "They'll stack things on the stove, so there is a lot of safety issues."

EL PASO, TX - Firefighters responded to a mobile home fire overnight and found a man hoarding about 60 dogs inside a trailer.

The fire was called in by a neighbor at about 1 o'clock this morning.

Authorities say the shed behind a mobile home caught fire and then spread to the home located near Roadrunner and Angora Loop in Northeast El Paso.

Firefighters tell us they found about 60 dogs inside the mobile home..." More & video

50 Rescued Chihuahuas Need New Homes

By Kai Porter

In all, 55 chihuahuas were found inside a Northeast El Paso mobile home this morning.

One chihuahua has already died. The others are now at the city's Animal Services Shelter, huddled together in cages to keep warm. The couple who also lives at the home voluntarily turned them over the the city after an early morning fire forced them out.

"It is a typical hoarding case. The conditions inside the home are deplorable, there's a lot of manure and urine," said Eduardo de Castro, Deputy Director of Animal Services.

But despite the deplorable conditions inside the home, veterinarians say most of the chihuahuas seem to be in good shape. Besides not being spayed or neutered and never being vaccinated, the city says it looks like they were being fed and taken care of..." More & video

Dealing with animal hoarding should be about helping the hoarders as well as the animals, according to social workers who consult on such cases.

Social workers increasingly are tending to the human issues that arise in human-animal relationships (seestory, page 1346). Just a few social workers have focused specifically on animal hoarding, however.

"Without counseling, you're going to see recidivism," said Jane N. Nathanson, a Boston social worker in private practice who counsels animal hoarders. "You're not addressing the needs of the person."

In some cases, Nathanson said, the animals might need immediate rescue. In other cases, she said, local authorities or humane organizations might try to gain the cooperation of the hoarder.

Jennifer A. Coffey is a social worker in New York City who has conducted hands-on intervention in cases of animal hoarding. A few years ago, she consulted on animal hoarding full time for the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene as part of a project in collaboration with the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Coffey and an ASPCA representative assessed hoarding cases in terms of human and animal welfare. The project interceded in cases of "overwhelmed caregivers" rather than cases of "exploitive hoarders," Coffey said, and participation was voluntary.

The first step was to stop the animals from reproducing, so the ASPCA would send a veterinarian in a mobile clinic to provide free sterilization services. The veterinarian also was able to provide vaccinations and assess the health of the animals.

The next step was to convince the hoarder to reduce the animal population over a period of time..." More

BEDFORD, N.H. -- The Animal Rescue League of New Hampshire has taken in 504 dogs, cats and other small animals this year because of alleged abuse, neglect or hoarding, the organization announced.

The record number of investigations has left the organization's resources stretched thin.

"We'll go into a household and, let's say, we take 10 cats out," said animal cruelty investigator Maureen Prendergast. "Eighty percent of those cats are going to be pregnant, so of those 10 cats we bring into the shelter, they produce, say, 20 more kittens."

The league has seized about 125 more animals than it seized in 2009, Prendergast said. She said that many of the animals require a wide range of medical attention.

Dozens of animals have been seized from a Swan River-area farm after investigators allegedly found them unhealthy, neglected and not properly cared-for.

Police launched an investigation after receiving a civilian complaint on Nov. 27 about a farm in the RM of Swan River.

On Dec. 1, with the assistance of local veterinarians, staff from the Provincial Office of the Chief Veterinarian, and local animal control officers, a total of 27 dogs, 15 horses and two donkeys were seized and removed from the property.

A 68-year-old local area man was arrested and released on conditions. He is scheduled to appear in Swan River court on Jan. 5 to face criminal charges for cruelty to animals.

Welcome

This blog was created to keep you up-to-date on animal hoarding and large scale animal news and cruelty.

Because hoarding and OCD disorders often overlap, we will also list news and information related to these topics, and how these illness's affect the hoarder, their family and friends, but most of all the animals, that suffer..."alone in a crowded room".

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